The moment of "Little Devil"
On November 24, 2023, in the quarter-finals of the U17 World Cup in Indonesia, Argentina beat Brazil 3-0 with a hat-trick from Claudio Echeverri. In the 75th minute, “Diablito” (“Little Devil”) made way for Franco Mastantuono.
At that time, Echeverri was only 17 years old and had just played four matches for the River Plate first team, while Mastantuono, 16, had never even trained with his seniors.
Echeverri scores from a superb free-kick. Photo: MCFC
Less than two years later, the future is looking promising for Argentina's top young football talents: all wearing the number 30 shirt at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup .
While Mastantuono will leave River Plate after the tournament to join Real Madrid (on August 14, when he turns 18), Echeverri (19 years old) will leave “Los Millonarios” from the end of 2024 to join Man City – the team that decided to recruit him after his hat-trick against Brazil that year.
However, “Little Devil” – nicknamed after the similarity to the surname of Bolivian legend Marco “El Diablo” Etcheverry – has had little chance of playing in the first months of 2025.
Therefore, unlike Mastantuono, a mainstay of River Plate, Lionel Scaloni has yet to call Echeverri up for the Argentina national team.
It wasn't until Sunday night, June 22 (morning, June 23, Hanoi time), at an empty stadium in Atlanta, that Echeverri really had the chance to show off when he was first in Pep Guardiola's starting lineup.
“Messi’s successor” (so called because of their similar dribbling style, although Echeverri is right-footed) scored a superb free-kick to make it 2-0 in Man City’s 6-0 win over Al Ain in Group G of the Club World Cup.
An easy win, with the remaining goals coming from Ilkay Gundogan (2), Erling Haaland, Oscar Bobb and new signing Rayan Cherki. Man City and Juventus officially won tickets to the round of 16.
Echeverri's celebration. Photo: MCFC
Seize the opportunity
Born in Chaco, in northeastern Argentina – one of the most economically disadvantaged regions and one that produces few talented footballers – Echeverri grew up battling tough defences in the domestic league and on the South American stage.
However, in England, in the first half of the year, Echeverri (1.71m tall - the second shortest player of Man City at the Club World Cup, equal to Phil Foden, only 1cm taller than Rico Lewis) almost did not play.
He only came on in the final two games of the season. The first was the FA Cup final, when Guardiola sent him on in the 76th minute to turn the game around after Crystal Palace were 1-0 down at Wembley.
Although he could not help Man City avoid a trophyless first season under Guardiola in England, Echeverri still left his mark thanks to his bravery in holding the ball and organizing attacks.
Perhaps as a reward, Guardiola gave him his Premier League debut in the final round: five minutes against Fulham on 25 May.
“Success is how many times you get up after falling,” Guardiola quoted former Uruguayan President Pepe Mujica as saying as he rebuilt Man City for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup and the new season.
Pep focused on adding a player with ball skills (Cherki), a midfielder with the ability to penetrate the penalty area (Tijani Reijnders), and since winter a player with the ability to move without the ball (Omar Marmoush).
Echeverri's chances are still in doubt. French media even reported the possibility of Man City loaning him to Lyon as part of the Cherki deal.
Echeverri was on the bench for the opening 2-0 win over Wydad. It seemed like a bad sign about Guardiola's plans for him in the 2025/26 season.
The goal in his first start gave Echeverri more confidence. Photo: MCFC
However, in his first start, the young Argentine played like a veteran star. He confidently coordinated with Gundogan, Bernardo Silva, Matheus Nunes and Haaland.
Echeverri – on the left of a 4-1-4-1 formation – was active in demanding the ball, organising the play, and got City's first goal with a free-kick that curled over the wall.
He joins the list of Argentine players who have scored at the Club World Cup, such as Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martinez, Di Maria and Enzo Fernandez.
Echeverri's goal left his UAE opponents demoralized and broken. His opponents felled him three times with his typical Argentine style of play, causing him to suffer an ankle injury.
To avoid the risk of injury, Guardiola took Echeverri off the pitch after the break and replaced him with Foden.
“The free-kick was really, really nice ,” Pep praised. “He has spectacular skills in tight spaces . ”
Before moving to the US, Man City said goodbye to their icon De Bruyne. In Atlanta, Echeverri – known as “Messi’s successor” – proved he has the ability to succeed the Belgian legend.
Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/claudio-echeverri-tieu-messi-ke-thua-de-bruyne-tai-man-city-2414152.html
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